I like what I saw Monday Night ... somewhat
 

Ok we lost. But there is a but to made here and I think it is a substantial but. Not a Kardashian size but, but a big But non the less.

For the first time I saw a Saints team fight, claw and scratch there way through 60 minutes of football against a team that without a doubt is one of the nastiest, dirtiest and ill tempered teams you will play in the NFL. The main reasons i have always like the Ravens myself.

They stood up and gave as much as the received and then some. This has nothing to do with the coaching at all. This is attitude. This is all about the players.

To me this was the biggest positive I have seen in this team in months.

Hey Rob want a blue print on building a front 7. you were given it last night.

Our depth stinks up front. The guys where beat down on both sides of the ball while the Ravens rotated at will without missing a beat. To me that is one of our biggest issue as a team. Causality of an abused cap

Now I have speak up for John Jenkins here. He did get made a fool of in the first series big time. But I think as the game went on his play improved. So i hold out hope that this will continue for the big guy. The guy needs to get that body fat percentage down a bit IMO. He looks a little to much like a huge teddy bear out there. All soft and squishy. The more he plays should solve that problem.

Next stand up for the UDFA out there! I am pleased with the bunch from last night. There be some talent in that group worth keeping around. They did more than any of of our draft picks or off season signings did. As usual this year. But you can not build depth by way of the UDFA alone.

Pierre Warren needs props. The kid walks into the building from another team's practice squad and plays an OK game. Adds in a huge impact play at the goal line. Causes and recovers a fumble all at the same time as making the tackle. That is something we have not seen a while. That is a trifecta my friends and something he must of picked up in Minnesota because as we all know that is not coached here. Strip first and try to tackle later is our style not the other way around. No i am not giving him the starter role but I have already shot the crow that I am going to serve Rob. If not i will eat it at the end of the season.

OH my hat is tipped to Dixon. I ride the kid hard on his play I know and well he deserves it. But that TD he gave up to Smith was probably the best he has covered all year. Shame he had no idea were the ball was despite having all day to locate it. The arms were flying and the hands were flapping. I almost fell out of my chair laughing as i cried when the ball fell into Smiths lap. Such mixed emotions. But his play was the best I have seen out of him all year.

If anyone can make of GIF of Dixons precious moment i would love to have it.

Sorry those were the two main UDFA players i was watching. To those i missed it was a good thing means you did not stink the place up. Edebali does deserve a shout out. He gets a hustle award. he was flying all the place.

At this point of the season and with the way players are dropping we need to look at this team with a different eye. I like what I saw despite the loss.

MEAN AND ANGRY is a good thing on the field

Re: I like what I saw Monday Night ... somewhat
 

I'm a fan of both Dixon and Warren!!

Re: I like what I saw Monday Night ... somewhat
 

I agree that the Saints looked like a fighting team, something that couldn't be said for most of the season. Realistically, now looking at players for next year, this one is pretty much gone. Yes, can still make the playoffs, but the Saints do not look as if there is enough left on the roster to make a late season push. I do believe the Saints organization has a very good idea of what needs to be done, and despite the horrible salary cap problems should bounce back next year.

Re: I like what I saw Monday Night ... somewhat
 

I think Joe Morgan looked good aswell to say it was his first game back

The article posted earlier sums it up pretty well, we are not physical enough on offense or defense

2009, 2010, 2011 saints would have no problem in a physical matchup because they'd answer back punch for punch, this team doesn't have an identity, has no swagger and no toughness - mental or physical

Re: I like what I saw Monday Night ... somewhat
 

I think our biggest needs right now are on the OLine and not necessarily on defense. It appears as if the defense is too complicated for our DBs as there are multiple occasions during a game where the DBs are looking around trying to figure out who to cover. As for the run defense......well it would be nice if they were physical at the point of attack and not missing tackles.

Now back on to what our biggest need is, we need a steady, strong, smart Center to be the leader of the Oline. We do not have that right now. If we had a better OC Drew would be able to step up in the pocket and those pick sixes turn to big gains for the Offense.

Maybe I'm way off base, I've only been able to listen to the last 3 games, but fix the Oline and the offense stays on the field longer, scores TDs in the redone and allows the defense to pin its ears back and make plays.

Re: I like what I saw Monday Night ... somewhat
 

Going to have to disagree with both of these points.

I may have been watching a different game than you but after the Brees pick not only did the crowd seem out of the game but the defense played lethargic for the remaining 1.5 qtrs.

Secondly, attitude in most cases is derived from coaching. When one or two players are letting the team down it's easy to say "hey it's just those two guys we should bench them". However, when every defensive player on the team consistently makes mistakes and plays lethargic you have a coaching problem.

My biggest problem with the Saints:

The attitude needs to change. They need to become mean and aggressive. This will not happen unless Vitt and Bill Johnson are fired. We can replace another DC all we want but the attitude will not change unless the position coaches do.

Re: I like what I saw Monday Night ... somewhat
 

Interior O-line and D-line needs to be the focus in the off-season. We need some mean dudes in there. I think Lelito is the answer at center, but Grubbs needs to go and Evans needs a pay cut.

D-Line is a mess, there isn't one person I would keep in the DT/NT position. Yes, I would like Hicks go. Cam and JR are good, not great, but good, their problem is no interior push making it harder for them to rush the passer. Letting Tom Johnson go and Foster getting hurt really impacted this defense.

Re: I like what I saw Monday Night ... somewhat
 

Need to cut some LB's so they can go to New England and become All Pro!

Re: I like what I saw Monday Night ... somewhat
 

I don't think Hicks needs to go at all him and Jordan would look good sitting on opposite sides of a stud NT in a 3/4, now as far as JR. goes if he is going to be a one trick pony I would teach him to rush on the ILB spot as well as the OLB spot to make the D less predictable, I also would draft a stud ILB and an OLB to keep a balance of things. Mixing things up is key.

Re: I like what I saw Monday Night ... somewhat
 

Dixon looked good on the TD he gave up. Tight coverage. Turned his head around so he wouldn't get flagged. And did it all mid-air.

Jenkins wasn't pushed that far off the line when the announcers were saying he was. Must've been talking about other plays. He looked good on some run-stops, too.

Warren was as good as he showed in pre-season when it was obvious he should not have been released.

Edebali was flashing. Walker has looked good on the DL rotation.

Was thinking to myself, so that just leaves LB level to have at least one young 'un/UFA shows us something to hope for (Sammie Knight potential).

Just cut Hawthorne. Maybe then we'll try something at LB level other than hang onto almost/not quite players. Reminds me of how Mora would never let his young players into the game because the starters were better then suddenly they all were too old and we had depth.

Just cut Hawthorne, make Humber the backup he should be, and give someone else a chance in the middle. Awful run-stopping. Our ILBs jump into the trash as soon as possible to take themselves out of the play. Does anyone know how to play this game?